After a season in Europe, Chris Bourque decided you can go home again.

The left winger, MVP of the 2009-10 Calder Cup playoffs with the Hershey Bears, signed a free-agent deal with the Washington Capitals, who drafted him 33rd overall in the 2004 NHL entry draft and still owned his rights.

“I had options to go back over to Europe,” Bourque said Saturday. “But, ultimately, it came down to coming back here and feeling comfortable about the situation I was in. I feel real comfortable with the whole organization, whether it’s in Hershey or Washington. It’s like family.”

Bourque, 25, the only player in Bears history to play on three Hershey Calder Cup clubs (2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10), opted for Europe in 2010-11 after five seasons spent mostly with the Bears.

Looking to play above the AHL level and lured by a KHL contract believed to be worth $500,000, Bourque declined a qualifying contract offer from Washington and signed with Mytishchi Atlant. That experience lasted just eight games before he jumped to Lugano in Switzerland.

“Nothing against Russia,” Bourque said. “It just wasn’t for me.”

Language was a major hurdle, one exacerbated when Jeff Hamilton, Bourque’s lone English-speaking teammate, was let go by the club.

“It was definitely a culture shock going there,” Bourque said. “It was really hard. I didn’t think it was going to be as hard as it was.”

Lugano, where Bourque produced 14 goals and 19 assists in 39 games, went much better. He said he found the caliber of hockey good, traveled Europe and enjoyed the lifestyle.

“I had an absolute blast,” he said. “We woke up every day to a lake and snowcapped mountains. It was beautiful.”

For 2011-12, though, Bourque decided the best place to keep pursuing his NHL goal was right back where he started.

“It’s an outstanding opportunity for him and an outstanding decision by the organization to bring him back,” Bears president-GM Doug Yingst said.

“He was named the MVP of the playoffs because that’s exactly what he was. When you have a chance to get a marquee player and one of the most skilled players in the league, you go get him. We were fortunate enough to get him back.”

Bourque has played 33 career NHL games, 13 with the Caps and 20 with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009-10 after they claimed him off waivers.

Bourque is cognizant that it will be tough to make Washington’s season-opening roster. The 5-8, 180-pounder said he hopes the 2010-11 performances of Boston’s Brad Marchand and Buffalo’s Tyler Ennis and Nathan Gerbe will boost the NHL prospects of other small players.

“It looks like they’ve got a pretty full roster,” Bourque said. “You never know. I’m going to show up to camp in as good a shape as you can. Obviously, my goal is to come over and do what I can to make the team.”

If not, he said, he will be happy in Hershey, where he has played 319 regular-season games and ranks No. 21 in career points (300).

“I’m fortunate to get this opportunity,” Bourque said. “I’ve just got to capitalize on the chance that’s been given to me. No pun intended.”

NOTEBOOK

Sean Collins’ deal for 2011-12 is worth $525,000 at the NHL end and $105,000 at the AHL end, according to capgeek.com.

Paul Baier’s 2011-12 Hershey contract is worth in the range of $40,000-$45,000, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported.

Bourque is scheduled to get married to long-time girlfriend Kim McManus in Newport, Rhode Island, this month.

Bourque, son of Boston Bruins great Ray Bourque, returned from Switzerland in March and followed the club’s Stanley Cup run. He attended most of their home playoff games, including two of the three home games against the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final. “It was awesome,” Bourque said. “I had an absolute ball watching it. This city went crazy over these guys.”

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